Interview with Markus Reuter: Inconvenient truths of the circular economy

“Inconvenient truths of the circular economy” is the title of an interview with prof. Markus Reuter for the Aurubis magazine. In the interview, prof. Reuter describes the main challenges and opportunities of recycling and the circular economy. The interview is included in the 2018-19 annual report. Prof. Markus Reuter (Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult.) is a.o. supervisor of one of the PhD-students part of the SOCRATES project.

In the interview, prof. Reuter explains: "The image of the closed loop of the CE is a convenient one. It conveys the impression that everything that enters the cycle also emerges in a way that can ultimately be used again without the use of energy. The inconvenient truth is that closing the loop is impossible! Therefore, an honest discussion involves speaking transparently about losses in the process: in the form of energy, metals, and dust, for example. There are technological and economic limits to closing the loop. As a result, policy conditions are necessary that promote recycling instead of hindering it."

Consequently, he pleads to seriously put into practice a design for recycling and to "prompt a consciousness shift in our utilization of our limited resources".